Aurora Borealis in Rochester
United Kingdom · 51.39°, 0.51° · geomagnetic 53.2° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Rochester
1%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Rochester needs Kp 7 to see anything at all, and tonight the forecast peaks at Kp 4.9. Short of the threshold, which is what most nights look like here.
Get the full 30-night forecast in Revon
Updated 2026-09-08 10:35 UTC
Local aurora guide for Rochester
Rochester is at a geomagnetic latitude of 53.2°. Auroras are typically visible at this latitude when the Kp index reaches 7.
On average, there are approximately 2.7 nights per year in Rochester where conditions are suitable for aurora viewing.
The historical record spans from April 2, 2016, to March 30, 2026.
The best months for aurora viewing in Rochester are September, August, and November.
During June and July, there is no full darkness, which can impact aurora visibility.
Rochester experiences a Bortle 7 light pollution level.
Areas with Bortle 4 light pollution can be found 36 km east-north-east of the city.
Notable features around Rochester include St Mary's Island to the north-east, Bull Nose headland to the east-north-east, Hoo Island to the east-north-east, William's Hill to the west, and Ratley Hills to the north.
Geographic features near Rochester that may offer viewing opportunities include St Mary's Island, located 3.3 km north-east.
Bull Nose, a headland, is situated 3.6 km east-north-east.
Hoo Island is located 4.4 km east-north-east, while William's Hill is 4.4 km west and Ratley Hills are 4.8 km north.
There have been 40 verified aurora reports within 300 km of Rochester between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016.
The record of viable nights per year indicates an average of 2.7 nights.
Notable qualifying nights in the historical record include March 20, 2026 (Kp 7.0), January 20, 2026 (Kp 7.67), January 19, 2026 (Kp 8.67), November 12, 2025 (Kp 7.33), and November 11, 2025 (Kp 8.67).
Sources: Revon analysis of NOAA planetary Kp · Solar declination and hour-angle calculation · Falchi 2016 World Atlas of artificial night sky brightness · GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) · Aurorasaurus verified positive reports
Know when it is worth going outside
Revon watches the Rochester forecast and pushes an alert when the odds for tonight clear your threshold — no checking, no guessing.
Nearby towns
Forecasts for places within reach of Rochester.